Israel’s trade unions declare general strike for Monday amid hostage killings

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The head of Israel’s powerful Histadrut trade union on Sunday declared a general strike over the government’s failure to secure the release of hostages from Gaza, after meeting with their families. Histadrut Labor Federation head Arnon Bar-David said a one-day strike would take place from 6am on Monday and called all civilian workers to take part.
“We must stop the abandonment of the hostages… I have come to the conclusion that only our intervention can shake those who need to be shaken,” he told a press conference.
“Starting tomorrow at six in the morning, the entire Israeli economy will go on complete strike.”
Israel’s Ben Gurion airport will be closed for take-off and landings from 8am, the country’s Trade Union Federation said, and schools would only open until 11.45am. Nurseries would be closed all day, the Teachers Union, a branch of Histarut, said.
If it goes ahead, the strike will be the first of its kind since the October 7 attacks by Hamas, in which the Palestinian group killed around 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 more from Southern Israel. Israel says 101 hostages remain unaccounted for after its military recovered the bodies of six of its citizens on Sunday.
The bodies of Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino have been returned to Israel after being shot shortly before the Israeli military could reach them, military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under increasing pressure to come to a deal with Hamas to secure the release of the remaining hostages. “Whoever murders hostages – does not want a deal,” he said on Sunday. Hamas has blamed Israel for refusing to sign a ceasefire deal.
Histradut represents more than 800,000 workers in sectors including health, transport and banking. It joined opposition leader Yair Lapid and several Israeli municipalities in calling for strike action, including Israel’s major city of Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai said his municipality will strike from Monday morning until noon, with no public meetings held and workers encouraged to join hostage rallies. “Eden, Carmel, Hersh, Uri, Almog and Alex should have been home by now. Alive. The Israeli government abandoned them, but the State of Israel is us,” he wrote on X.
Kfar Saba and Gi’vayatim have also announced municipal strikes, while businesses across Israel have launched independent shutdowns in support of hostage families. Doctors at Tel Aviv’s Sheba Hospital will also strike, heeding calls for pressure from the Hostages and Families Forum, which will hold major protests in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Sunday.
”As doctors and health professionals, our first and fundamental duty is to protect, preserve and save human life. Therefore, we are responding to the Families Forum appeal in which we express our support for their [hostages] release,” read a statement from medical workers.
The agreement to strike came as thousands were expected to take to the streets to protest the handling of the war in Gaza and call to bring the hostages home. The Hostages and Families’ Forum had asked the public to “join a massive demonstration, demanding a complete halt of the country and the immediate implementation of a deal” with Hamas.
Thousands more attended the funeral of Alex Lobanov, 32, one of Sunday’s murdered hostages, at the New Cemetery in Ashkelon.